Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project Finale cum
International Conference 2025 Kicks Off
Empowering Families in the Digital Age
4,800+ Tech-assisted Family Programmes and Sessions Reaching 340,000+ People
Hong Kong’s First Sector-wide Family Service Management System Driving
Digital Transformation
[Hong Kong, 26 August 2025] – Initiated and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project is hosting a three-day Project Finale cum International Conference starting from today (26 August). An opening ceremony for the event was officiated by Mr Chris SUN, JP, Secretary for Labour and Welfare, the HKSAR Government; Mr Jackson WOO, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Prof Alexander WAI, JP, President & Vice-Chancellor, Hong Kong Baptist University; and Prof WANG Yang, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Institutional Advancement), The University of Hong Kong. The conference brings together local and international experts, professionals, and representatives from NGOs and academia to exchange insights on innovative family services.
The conference, themed “Empowering Families in the Digital Age”, features keynote speeches by local and international speakers and a thematic forum. In addition to showcasing the achievements and good practices of the Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project since its launch in 2018, the conference is facilitating knowledge exchange on how to leverage technology and data to build innovative, high-impact family services. It is also exploring how information and communication technology (ICT) and data can drive service innovation and enhance family well-being.
Mr Chris SUN, JP, Secretary for Labour and Welfare, said: “The Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project has brought together the social welfare sector in its digital transformation journey, harnessing information technology and data while preserving the diversity of services offered by non-governmental organisations. The Project has significantly improved resource integration while also enhancing the effectiveness of family services. Looking ahead, it is anticipated that data sharing can be realised, enabling the Project’s successful model to be replicated across other services.”
Mr Jackson WOO, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, remarked: “As one of the world’s leading charitable donors, the Club is committed to promoting innovation through technology and enhancing the capabilities of social welfare organisations. It also encourages cross-sector collaboration to address evolving social needs and support Hong Kong’s long-term development. The Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project has brought together muliti-disciplinary partnerships to improve the efficiency and quality of family services and drive digital transformation across the social service sector. The results achieved over the past seven years have been truly encouraging.”
Use of ICT enhances family well-being: Perceived family well-being of Project’s participants higher than overall population
The project evaluated community events and conducted surveys to identify key factors that improve perceived family well-being, while also promoting family well-being through community events with embedded ICT elements. Since 2023, 4,529 Hong Kong residents have been surveyed regarding perceived family well-being (score from 0 to 10, average score 6.5), alongside evaluations from 7,630 community event participants. Those joining tech-assisted activities reported an average perceived family well-being of 7.9 – 21% higher than the general population. Among participants in innovative family activities (e.g. parent-child carnivals, online exhibitions, video competitions), over 60% reported improved perceived family well-being. These results show that community events in Hong Kong with ICT elements embedded effectively improve perceived family well-being.
NGOs and service users appreciated the Project for promoting digitalisation of family services, enhancing efficiency and broadening service reach
Front-line social workers reported that the Project’s i-Connect service management system has significantly reduced paperwork, allowing for enhanced focus on casework. i-Connect replaces traditional document management, improving data integration and retrieval, and enabling more effective case management and service planning. During emergencies, timely access to essential information speeds up response. Management can monitor case distribution in real time, and the Data Analytics System further optimises resource allocation and service planning. A blended mode of services (online and face-to-face) also encourages wider participation of those new to family services.
Angel, a service user from the Hong Kong Family Welfare Society, a Project partner, joined a blended-mode mindfulness parenting group with both online and face-to-face sessions, which she found flexible and convenient. Online mutual support chats helped in exchanging parenting experiences, building resilience and improving family well-being. Through its technology-assisted activities, Angel discovered ICT’s positive potential for learning and growth with her son.
Mr and Mrs Ko, service users from Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, another Project Partner, participated in a blended-mode couples’ activity using smart wearables for emotional tracking. Mrs Ko shared that real-time emotional monitoring increased their self-awareness and mutual understanding, strengthening their relationship. Mr Ko added that the experience sparked an interest in technology and improved communication with their children, fostering closer family bonds.
Key Achievements of the SMART Family-Link Project
- i-Connect – Hong Kong’s first-ever, cross-organisation service management system tailored for family services
- More than 4,800 tech-assisted programmes and sessions organised by NGOs, benefitting over 340,000 service users
- Over 50 community events and publicity campaigns embedding ICT elements, promoting family well-being among more than 330,000 people in the community
- 13 evidence-based blended-mode services (online and face-to-face) developed
- More than 150 capacity building sessions strengthening social workers’ digital literacy, with over 3,400 attendances
